PORT ANGELES — Clallam County lawmakers Tuesday approved a $324,500 contract with Advanced Construction Inc. to upgrade the main floor of the historic west wing of the county courthouse.
The project is funded with a 50-50 matching grant from the state Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation.
The county budgeted its share of the cost in the 2010 capital projects fund to finish the decade-old project. The second floor of the historic courthouse was renovated about 10 years ago.
Mukilteo-based Advanced Construction submitted the lowest of four bids received by the county Aug. 24.
“We’ve done some background checks and some references, and they are a good choice, apparently,” Clallam County Parks, Fair and Facilities Director Joel Winborn told commissioners Monday.
Commissioner Steve Tharinger said his colleague, Mike Doherty, helped pique the interest of the Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation for the project.
“Since you made all those trips to Olympia, I suspect there were several visits to that office to make them aware of what we’re trying to do with the courthouse,” Tharinger said.
“Thank you for that work.”
The project, which includes carpet replacement, new floors, ceiling adjustment, new lighting, brick resurfacing, cleaning and improving the structural integrity of the bell tower, is expected to be finished before Christmas, Facilities Maintenance Supervisor Rick McFarlen said.
Shoreline plan update
Meanwhile, the commissioners also approved a $599,930 agreement with ESA Adolphson to help update the Shoreline Master Program.
The approval is contingent on the review and recommendation from a civil attorney in the Clallam County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. Planning Manager Steve Gray said minor changes were made to the original contract.
The county received a $1 million grant from the Environmental Protection Agency to develop the concept of “no net loss of ecological functions” that the state Department of Ecology requires in the shoreline planning updates.
Clallam County will administer the grant on behalf of two partner agencies — Jefferson County and the state Department of Ecology.
Other jurisdictions will incorporate some of the science developed with the grant into their own shoreline updates.
All cities and counties in the state are required to update their Shoreline Master Programs by 2014.
“This is actually part of the Puget Sound Partnership’s effort and the EPA’s effort,” said Tharinger, who was appointed by the Puget Sound Partnership’s leadership council to represent the Strait of Juan de Fuca action area on the Ecosystem Coordination Board.
“We were awarded this contract to do work that will be transmitted throughout the basin.”
Tharinger said U.S. Rep. Norm Dicks, D-Belfair, helped secure the EPA funds. Dicks represents the 6th Congressional District, which includes the North Olympic Peninsula.
In other action, the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office was awarded a $276,919 Justice Assistance Grant to fund the Olympic Peninsula Narcotics Enforcement Team — or OPNET — in 2011.
The grant renewal was $975 less than expected because of state budget cuts.
Kaheya Cunningham was appointed to the Clallam County the Developmental Disabilities Advisory Committee for a term expiring in December 2012.
A presentation on a community wildfire protect plan developed at Peninsula College was postponed.
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-417-3537 or at rob.ollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.